President Trump has reportedly decided to break with tradition and not do a sit-down interview before Sunday's Super Bowl 52 event.

"He is not doing a Super Bowl interview," a White House official reportedly told CNN on condition of anonymity on Wednesday.

A commander in chief known for his affinity for TV ratings, Trump's decision to opt out of the widely-watched televised event comes one year after he participated in a pre-Super Bowl interview with Bill O'Reilly on FOX. This year, the game will be broadcast on NBC -- a network often criticized by the Republican president.

President George W. Bush started the pre-Super Bowl interview tradition in 2004 when he appeared for an interview discussing his administration and home state of Texas, where the game was played that year.

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U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania watch the Super Bowl LI between New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons, accompanied by White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (L) at Trump International Golf club in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., February 5, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet a marching band as they arrive at Trump International Golf club to watch the Super Bowl LI between New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons in West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., February 5, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

US President Donald Trump chats with First Lady Melania Trump while watching the Super Bowl at Trump International Golf Club Palm Beach in West Palm Beach, Florida on February 5, 2017. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump watches the Super Bowl with First Lady Melania Trump (R) and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (L) at Trump International Golf Club Palm Beach in West Palm Beach, Florida on February 5, 2017. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump watch the Palm Beach Central High School marching band perform as it greets them upon arrival to watch the Super Bowl at Trump International Golf Club Palm Beach in West Palm Beach, Florida on February 5, 2017. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump chats with White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus while watching Super Bowl LI at Trump International Golf Club Palm Beach in West Palm Beach, Florida on February 5, 2017. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump watches the Super Bowl with First Lady Melania Trump (R) and White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus (L) at Trump International Golf Club Palm Beach in West Palm Beach, Florida on February 5, 2017. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump watch the Palm Beach Central High School marching band perform as it greets them upon arrival to watch the Super Bowl at Trump International Golf Club Palm Beach in West Palm Beach, Florida on February 5, 2017. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

US President Donald Trump applauds as he is greeted by the Palm Beach Central High School marching band upon arrival to watch the Super Bowl at Trump International Golf Club Palm Beach in West Palm Beach, Florida on February 5, 2017. / AFP / MANDEL NGAN (Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images)

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Last month, NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt commented on the potential for a pre-game interview with the president, saying the network and White House had yet to reach an agreement.

"Without getting into specifics, I can tell you that there have been conversations between NBC News and the White House about a conversation format, the timing, the location, those sorts of things," he told Adweek.

Trump's blunt media attacks have often included direct reference to NBC News, a factor that perhaps influenced his decision to nix the tradition.

The Super Bowl showdown will kick off on Sunday with a dynamite matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and New England Patriots.

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10. Super Bowl XXXII: Denver Broncos 31, Green Bay Packers 24

John Elway's helicopter run is the play that's cited most often from this game. But that happened in the third quarter to help put the Broncos up 24-17, and there was still plenty of football to be played.

The defending champion Packers tied it up early in the fourth quarter, but Denver would pull back ahead on Terrell Davis' third rushing touchdown of the game with just under two minutes left. Green Bay's ensuing possession stalled out at the Denver 35-yard line, handing Elway his first Super Bowl victory in four tries.

Photo Credit: Gary Caskey / Reuters

9. Super Bowl XXV: New York Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19

This was the first of four consecutive Super Bowl appearances for the Bills. They infamously lost every one, but none was as agonizingly close as their initial shot at glory.

The Giants effectively kept Buffalo's high-octane offense off the field by controlling the ball for more than 40 minutes of game time. Nevertheless, a heroic last-ditch drive from Bills QB Jim Kelly set up kicker Scott Norwood for a 47-yard field goal attempt with seven seconds remaining. Norwood pushed it wide right, however, and a four-year string of title game ineptness began in cruel fashion.

Photo Credit: Gin Ellis/Getty Images

8. Super Bowl XXXVI: New England Patriots 20, St. Louis Rams 17

This was the first Super Bowl ever to be won on the final play, a feat clinched when Adam Vinatieri knocked a 48-yard field goal through the uprights to upend the heavily favored Rams and begin the Brady-Belichick dynasty.

Brady's game-winning drive was a thing of beauty that kickstarted his legendary playoff legacy, but it was Belichick's shockingly effective defensive game plan against St. Louis' league-best offense that kept the Patriots close throughout.

Photo Credit: Boston Globe/Getty Images

7. Super Bowl XLVII: Baltimore Ravens 34, San Francisco 49ers 31

It feels as though this deeply odd game will be one of those stellar championships that's forgotten by many as time goes on and matchups between more nationally popular teams stack up. But that'd be unfair.

In a coaching clash between the brothers Harbaugh, the Niners found themselves down 28-6 early in the third quarter when the power suddenly went out at the Superdome. After a 34-minute delay, the lights came back on and San Francisco woke up.

Colin Kaepernick finally figured out the Ravens defense and had the 49ers primed to pull off the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history, down five points facing a 1st-and-goal opportunity with just over two minutes left. But three straight passes to Michael Crabtree on the right side of the field all fell incomplete, and Baltimore held on after conceding a safety to help run out the clock.

Photo Credit: Rob Tringali/Getty Images

6. Super Bowl XXIII - San Francisco 49ers 20, Cincinnati Bengals 16

This was the only of Joe Montana's four Super Bowl victories in which he didn't win the game's MVP award. That went to Jerry Rice, who reeled in 11 receptions for a Super Bowl record 215 yards and a touchdown.

But this was arguably Montana's finest moment, as he got the ball with 3:20 remaining needing a field goal to tie and a touchdown to win -- then proceeded to guide San Francisco on a 92-yard drive that sunk regular season MVP Boomer Esiason and the top-rated Bengals offense.

Photo credit: Rob Brown/Getty Images

5. Super Bowl XXXIV - St. Louis Rams 23, Tennessee Titans 16

The first NFL championship of the new millennium marked the beginning of the modern, offensive-minded era that's birthed an incredible run of electrifying championships. Fittingly, Kurt Warner (24-for-45, 414 yards, 2 TDs) and the Rams were officially crowned The Greatest Show on Turf in Atlanta soon after Warner connected with Isaac Bruce on a 73-yard go-ahead touchdown in the waning moments.

Of course, Steve McNair nearly willed Jeff Fisher's crew to the title with a last-gasp drive that came up just a half-yard short when Rams linebacker Mike Jones stopped Kevin Dyson with "The Tackle." That likely qualifies as the most nerve-wracking final play in any Super Bowl, but a rather droll first half means this game doesn't quit crack the top three.

Photo credit: Mike Zarrilli/Getty Images

4. Super Bowl XLIII - Pittsburgh Steelers 27, Arizona Cardinals 23

Warner was on the other side of a classic Super Bowl this time in a game that was a thriller from start to finish. Steelers linebacker James Harrison's 100-yard interception return to put Pittsburgh up 17-7 on the last play of the first half could have broken Arizona's spirit, but the Cardinals hung in there.

Some heroics from Larry Fitzgerald -- who would have been remembered as the key figure of this postseason had the Cardinals won -- on a 64-yard touchdown gave Arizona its first lead at 23-20 with 2:37 left. But Ben Roethlisberger sealed his signature moment, manufacturing a comeback drive for the ages that ended with Santonio Holmes' picture-perfect tiptoe catch in the back corner of the end zone.

Photo credit: Doug Benc via Getty Images

3. Super Bowl XLIX: New England Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24

Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell's decision to pass on second down from the 1-yard line with 20 seconds left and Marshawn Lynch in the backfield (and one timeout left!) will always be second guessed, and rightfully so. But this game was about more than just a single questionable coaching decision.

Remember the Jermaine Kearse catch that preceded Malcolm Butler's interception? How about the Patriots putting up 14 points in the final quarter to set up Seattle's fateful faux pas? And Chris Matthews (four receptions, 109 yards, one touchdown) coming out of nowhere to lead the Seahawks in receiving? Matthews' dominance led to Belichick benching cornerback Kyle Arrington -- and inserting Butler in his place. This battle between the NFL's top two teams was about as good as it gets, but there are a couple that top it due to their massive historical significance.

Photo Credit: Timothy A. Clary/Getty Images

2. Super Bowl XLII: New York Giants 17, New England Patriots 14

Patriots owner Robert Kraft began the process to trademark "19-0" and "Perfect Season" before New England had even won the AFC Championship over San Diego -- a process that inexplicably ended this week in the team's favor.

But we all know how the Patriots really finished that season: 18-1. And that's thanks to one of the greatest upsets in sports history, which was sparked by one of the best plays in NFL lore: The Helmet Catch.

That set up Eli Manning's 13-yard touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left, marking a Super Bowl record third lead change in the fourth quarter. You couldn't have asked for a more exciting finish for what was then the most-watched Super Bowl of all time on a potentially historic night -- or a more nightmarish conclusion to New England's otherwise fairytale season.

Photo credit: Jim Davis/The Boston Globe/Getty Images)

1. Super Bowl LI: New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28 (OT)

This game had something for everyone. Falcons fans (and Patriots haters) got to experience a thorough bashing of Brady and Belichick -- complete with a pick-six from Touchdown Tom -- through three quarters. But New England finally woke up and stormed back for the greatest Super Bowl comeback of all time, scoring 31 unanswered points to seal the fifth championship for the franchise’s unparalleled two-pronged dynasty.

Brady threw for a Super Bowl record 466 yards to best regular season MVP Matt Ryan, who had a perfect passer rating through three quarters but took a couple costly sacks in the fourth. After wide receiver Julian Edelman gave the Patriots a miraculous catch to negate all the heroic receptions that’d been perpetrated against them for the decade prior, it seemed like destiny was guiding New England through the rest of the game. By the time the Pats won the coin toss in overtime -- the first ever extra period in Super Bowl history -- it was clear to every football fan watching how this was one going to play out.